ON THE NORTH-TTESTERN TRIBES OF CANADA. 815 



natural charms. The fact that in honour of the arrival of friends the 

 house is swept and strewn with sand, and that the people bathe at such 

 occasions, shows that cleanliness is appreciated. The current expression 

 is that the house is so cleaned that no bad smell remains to offend the 

 guest. For the same reason the Indian takes repeated baths before 

 praying, ' that he may be of agreeable smell to the Deity.' 



The Indian is grave and self-composed in all his actions. This is 

 shown by the fact that playing is not only considered undignified, but 

 actually as bad. In the Tsimshiau language the term for ' to play ' 

 means to talk to no purpose ; and doing anything ' to no purpose ' is con- 

 temptible to the Indian. 



He is rash in his anger, but does not easily lose control over his 

 actions. He sits down or lies down sullenly for days without partaking 

 of food, and when he rises his first thought is, not how to take revenge, 

 but to show that he is superior to his adversary. A. great pride and 

 vanity, combined with the most susceptible jealousy, characterise all 

 actions of the Indian. He watches that he may receive his proper share 

 of honour at festivals ; he cannot endure to be ridiculed for even the 

 slightest mistake ; he carefully guards all his actions, and looks for due 

 honour to be paid to him by friends, strangers, and subordinates. This 

 peculiarity appears most clearly in great festivals, which are themselves 

 an outcome of the vanity of the natives, and of their love of displaying 

 their power and wealth. To be strong, and able to sustain the pangs of 

 hunger, is evidently considered worthy of praise by the Indian ; but fore- 

 most of all is wealth. 



It is considered the duty of every man to have pity upon the poor 

 and hungry. "Women are honoured for their chastity and for being true 

 to their hu.sbands ; children, for taking care of their parents; men, for 

 skill and daring in hunting, and for bravery in war. 



Closely connected with their vanity is their inclination to flatter the 

 stranger or friend, but particularly anyone who is expected to be of 

 service to the Indian. Vanity and servility are the most unamiable 

 traits of his character. Wit and humour are little appreciated, although 

 they are not wanting. The character of the Indian, on the whole,°is 

 sombre, and he is not given to gentle emotions. Even his festivals have 

 this character, as he retains his dignity throughout. 



Food — Hunting and Fishing — Clothing — Implements. 



It is not the object of this report to give a full description of the 

 various kinds of food and of the methods of hunting and fishing. It 

 seems, however, desirable to mention the most important points in 

 connection with this subject. 



The principal part of the food of the natives is derived from the sea. 

 It seems that whales are pursued only exceptionally, though the West 

 Vancouver tribes are great whalers. Sea-lions and seals are harpooned, 

 the barbed harpoon-point being either attached to a bladder or tied to 

 the stem of the boat. The harpoon lines are made of cedar-bark and 

 sinews. The meat of these sea-animals is eaten, while their intestines are 

 used for the manufacture of bowstrings and bags. The bristles of the sea- 

 lion are used by the Tsimshian and the neighbouring tribes for adorning 

 dancing ornaments. Codfish and halibut are caught by means of hooks. 

 These are attached to fish-lines made of cedar-twigs, or, what is more 



